…and I know many of you are too. It sucks immensely but all these strategies have taken me 7 years to build up and refine and are all tried and tested. I use these every day in varying combinations. Combining a few or more each day means the effects add up and less suffering is experienced and less medication needed. I hope you find this guide helpful. What are your strategies for managing pain? #PainAwarenessMonth #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #PainManagement #Disability #PainAwareness Image Descriptions: 1. Yellow slide with colourful illustrations of balms, braces, and aids and a title reading “Pain Management with No Medication” and the subheading “drug-free strategies for managing acute and chronic pain” 2. Pink slide with colourful illustrations of various posture pillows and a title reading “Posture Pillows” and the note “posture is an important factor in keeping pain managed. Posture pillows support in any way needed when sitting or laying down” 3. Blue slide with colourful illustrations of various braces and a title reading “Bracing & Compression” and the notes “Custom-made and off-the-shelf bracing provides stability to prevent injury or siomote healing” & “compression sleeves & garments promote circulation, reduce swelling, & soothe inflammation” 4. Lime green slide with colourful illustrations of heat and ice packs and a title reading “Temperature Therapy” and the notes “heat or ice in reduce and sothe pain & inflammation” & “usually ice is best short-term & heat best long-term” 5. Orange slide with colourful illustrations of a massage gun and a TENS machine and a title reading “Massage, TENS” and the notes “There are many tools available for massage. My favourite is a massage gun” & “TENS machines are like massage for nerves, T-ransdermal E-lectrical N-erve S-timulation” 6. Red slide with colourful illustrations of a tubes and tubs of creams and a title reading “Topical Balms” and the notes “Over-the-counter & natural topical balms are not to be forgotten as they can help a lot” & “whether they use menthol, aloe, beeswax, chilli, or whatever else, they can cool, numb, & heat in an effective way” 7. Yellow slide with colourful illustrations of a shower, eyes-shaped landscape, person breathing out, and footprints in dirt and 4 titles reading “Water, Earthing, Visualisation, Breath” and the notes “water combines temperature & earthing effects”, “Try touching your skin to the Earth to nentralise excess positive charge in your body”, “provides ways to process the pain which can help turn its volume down & “breathwork releases tension and provides a focus which soothes the parasympathetic nervous system” 8. Green slide with colourful illustrations of people exercising and a title reading “Exercise & Physio” and the notes “strength & stamina help reduce pain long-term and help keep it from deteriorating” & “a physiotherapist can teach you ways to move your body that are safe and accessible for you” 9. Blue slide with colourful illustrations of an acupressure mat and wand and a title reading “Accupressure” and the notes “spending time on an accupressure mat allows its spikes to stimulate nerves” & “an accupressure wand is a highly targeted TENS effect for stimulating pressure points & is one of my MOST helpful tools” 10. Pink slide with colourful illustrations of various mobility aids and a title reading “Mobility Aids” and the note “with so many options available, mobility aids can meet almost any need and may reduce stress, flares, and injuries” - @caitruthlawrence